There’s no question that Los Angeles is heating up. Increasingly frequent heat waves, wildfires, and power outages throughout the greater Los Angeles area have put excess pressure on LA’s power grid.
This past week, The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and Mayor Eric Garcetti announced a 5-year Attic Insulation Rebate Program, which aims to relieve electricity demand on the grid, reduce greenhouse emissions, and save Angelenos money.
This $100 million incentive program is a part of Garcetti’s ongoing Save Energy LA campaign, launched in 2016 to conserve electricity, reduce energy bills, and protect the environment.
How much is DWP’s Attic Insulation Incentive rebate?
For homeowners who participate, this program will provide a rebate of 80% of the cost of the installation or $1 per square foot of insulation installed, whichever value is less.
How does attic insulation make me energy efficient?
Houses in Los Angeles built before 1980 most likely do not have any insulation in the attic space. If your house does not have attic insulation, you are probably paying too much by inefficiently heating and cooling your home.
Installing insulation in your attic may seem like a hefty expense, but it will make air conditioning and heating more efficient and reduce your utility bills. The incentive is expected to save Los Angeles residents 15-30% or $200-374 on their heating and cooling expenses annually.
Here’s what a home without insulation looks like in the winter:
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In the winter, 25% to 35% of a home’s heat loss can be due to an attic that lacks insulation. This is the most significant source of heat loss compared to walls, windows, and the floor.
Here’s what a home without insulation looks like in the summer:
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In the summer, 25% to 35% of a home’s heat gain can be due to an attic that lacks insulation. This is tied for the most significant source of heat gain with windows that let in heat from sunlight.
The temperature in houses without insulation can fluctuate 5 to 10 degrees, making your heating and cooling systems work harder than they need to. Insulation, especially in your attic, will allow air conditioning to be spread more evenly throughout your home, keeping your home environment cooler longer. In the winter, insulation will keep the cold air out, and trap the heat in.
How to Be Eligible for the Attic Insulation Incentive
To be eligible for this rebate, you must:
- Be an LADWP customer (naturally)
- Be a single family homeowner or duplex owner
- Purchase and install one of the following types of insulation:
- Blanket (batts and rolls)
- Loose-fill, blown-in
- Attic-applied foam board or rigid foam
- Sprayed foam
- Foamed-in-place insulation
- Your insulation material must have a minimum thermal resistance or R-value of R-30.
- The insulation must be installed in a previously constructed and lived-in building. For example, detached garages are not eligible.
To apply, you must provide before and after pictures of your attic, and details on the insulation material used.
Visit LADWP’s Attic Insulation Incentive program webpage for the latest news and updates on the eligibility requirements and process.
Toys in the Attic: Insulation and Solar Power
What’s a solar company doing writing about attic insulation? These two projects have more to do with each other than you might think:
- Attic insulation will reduce your electricity consumption, thereby reducing the number of solar panels you would need when you decide to go solar.
- While you’re working on your attic insulation project, you may be considering getting a re-roof on your home as well. Be sure to consult your tax advisor, but if you were to go solar in the same year as you conduct your re-roof you can claim the 30% Federal Solar Tax Credit on the portion of the roof that is covered by solar panels.
Utility incentives can seem complicated (that’s why we have dedicated Energy Advisors to assist you), but there are some great incentives for you to take advantage in the Los Angeles area. This also includes LADWP’s Solar Incentive Program, a $0.25/watt rebate on your home solar project.
When going solar, be sure to get multiple offers on your home. Platform’s like Solar.com’s bidding marketplace can help you do this free and online. Check us out and snag those rebates!
Cover image source (LADWP / Twitter)
The Eagle solar panel is JinkSolar’s base model. It comes in three sizes: 48-cell module with a power output up to 225 Wp (watt peak capacity), 60-cell module with an output up to 280 Wp, and a 72-cell module with a power output of up to 330 Wp.Outside of their capacity, these three Eagle solar panel models share the same characteristics. These models are certified to withstand heavy wind loads (2400 pascal) and snow loads (5400 pascals), have limited power degradation through the 
The Eagle PERC is a monocrystalline solar module, which also comes in the same 48-cell, 60-cell, and 72-cell versions. These solar panels have a higher efficiency than the base Eagle models due to their improved solar cell technology, which also includes busbars, or metal wires, to connect the panel’s solar cells to each other. The more busbars, the lower the resistance is between cells, and the higher the efficiency.The Eagle PERC 48 and 72 include 5 busbars, and the Eagle PERC 60 includes 4. This, along with with its Passivated Emitter Rear Contact (PERC) technology, brings the Eagle PERC’s efficiency from around 15% to over 18%.The 48-cell has an efficiency of up to 18.27%, the 60-cell up to 18.33%, and the efficiency of the 72-cell module goes up to 18.57%. Outside of these features, the PERC includes everything else the base Eagle module includes.
The main difference between the Eagle Dual and the other Eagle models is that it includes a dual glass design to lower degradation rates and increase the panel’s annual and lifetime energy production. The result is an annual power degradation rate of 0.5%. To put that into comparison, most solar panel’s have a degradation rate closer to 1% per year.The 60-cell module has an efficiency of up to 17.33% and the 72-cell is slightly lower at 17.26%. It is also designed for high voltage systems of up to 1500 VDC (volts direct current).
The 1500V Module is an upgraded solar module that can take a higher maximum voltage of 1500V. It also includes extended module strings that help the overall BOS (balance of system). Both of these allow for higher efficiency and greater power output.The 1500V Module comes in a 60 and 72-cell model, each with a polycrystalline and monocrystalline version. The 60-cell polycrystalline module has an efficiency of up to 17.11% and a power output of 280 Wp, while the monocrystalline version has an efficiency of 18.33% with a power output of 300 Wp.The 72-cell polycrystalline module sits at 17.26% for its maximum efficiency and an output of 335 Wp, and the monocrystalline version is at 18.57% and 360 Wp.
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